architecture & landscape

BAUKULTU(H)R

2013
RESIDENCY GRANT

During our first research before going to Austria we faced with the “Baukultur” concept and immediately caught our attention.

This concept as it is understood in Austria and in other German speaking countries, covering aspects from planning to participation, building (of course), education or public perception, does not really exist in Spain where the prevailing architectural vision still highlights the product, the building itself, above everything else.

Speaking with professionals of different fields related to architecture working nationwide or with a broad knowledge of the general situation has been very helpful. They have let us catch some glimpses of what is going on in Austria. And that is how we have drawn a picture of the problems and difficulties here, some of which we share because they are pan-European, and also of the good initiatives.

We wanted to get together these opinions. Throughout these pages you will find some talks we had with Barbara Feller, Petra Eichlinger, Reinhard Seiß and Renate Hammer.

The Venusgarten Haus, with its delightful wooden construction, is an example of respectful relation with the traditional architectures of the surroundings from a clear contemporary attitude. The sensitive preservation of part of the preexisting building and the communication between old an new made architecture talk about the relation of a son with his mother.

Case study Venusgarten Haus, with an interview to Stefan Schauer, owner, talking about his house in Willendorf, designed by Volker Dienst in cooperation with Christoph Feldbacher.

Malat hotel is an interesting example of the relation between architecture, wine and tourism in the Wachau valley. The project integrates an old building and reuses some materials that already were there. The new courtyard, based on the preexisting one, is opened to the beautiful vineyard landscape that now seems to be part of the hotel.

Case study Malat hotel, with an interview to Michael Malat, owner, talking about his hotel in Palt, designed by Tm architektur.

The Herzogenburg Monastery is a great example of Baroque and Classicist architecture. In this strong traditional context the Osterkapelle, a new chapel built on 1999, uses the modern architectural and artistic language to transmit the religious message in a poetic way, playing with few and simple elements.

Case study Osterkapelle in Stift Herzogenburg, with an interview to Provost Maximiliam Fürnsinn, talking about the Easter Chapel, designed by Ernst Beneder and Anja Fischer.

Minoritenplatz is an example of transformation of an old church and monastery into a cultural centre in a small town where the culture, in all its forms, is a very important manifestation of their identity.

Case study Minoritenplatz, with an interview to Jo Aichinger, artistic director of the Lower Austrian Festival, talking about cultural facilities existing in Krems and about Minoritenplatz cultural complex designed by Fritz Göbl and Reinhardt Gallister and Fritz Göbl, Lukas Göbl and Alexander Bolecek.

The need of a new Town hall, and the commitment to keep it in the town’s core is the beginning of a new citizens’ candidature to election. The idea of revitalizing the town center extends to other projects where participation of citizens in the design process plays a decisive role.

Case study Marktgemeindeamt Ottensheim, with an interview to Uli Böker, mayor, talking about city projects and the Town hall building project by SUE Architekten.